"A picture is worth a thousand words"
Title: What Tomorrow Holds
Summary: Bella Swan is a skeptic when it comes to the supernatural, what happens when she is faced with a future she doesn't want to accept. One-shot.
Author(s): Ali Shaw
Disclaimer:I do not own Twilight, any location, person or product in this story, no copyright infringement intended.
A/N-This story is an entry for "A picture is worth a thousand words" contest. A big thank you to DaisyBell2 for all your help, I really do appreciate it. I hope you guys enjoy it. Below is the link to the photo that goes with the story. I would love reviews and votes. Voting begins August 23, 2010. Thank you.
http:/4(dot)bp(dot)blogspot(dot)com/_IpO2bqs0FzA/TEu2oZCtPAI/AAAAAAAAABs/YuM0Swxc3QM/s1600/jacobbellaedwardbanner(dot)jpg
"Fate! There is such a thing as fate, but it only takes you so far. Then it's up to you to make it happen." –from the film "Can't Hardly Wait"
I don't believe in a fate. I am not a superstitious person. I don't avoid black cats or go out of my way to walk around ladders. I don't carry a rabbit foot or any other type of "good luck" charm and I especially don't think that anyone has the ability to see the future, or at least I didn't; not until today.
"Come on Bella!" my co-worker Jessica yelled as she dragged me to the small dark house. I grimaced. It was Jessica's birthday and we had all decided we would go out and celebrate. We chatted and laughed and my other colleague Leah wanted to know what Jessica would like to do, thinking she would pick the norm of drinks or a movie, possibly even a shopping trip. Jessica had other plans.
"Let's see a fortune teller!" she begged. "I've always wanted to go."
I despised clairvoyants in my opinion it was just another scheme for someone to take your money but for Jessica's sake I swallowed my reservations determined not to ruin her good time.
We entered the eerie house and were quickly ushered into a candlelit parlor by a tall blonde man. Leah, Jessica and I sat around a large round table when a small pixie like woman not much older than us entered the room. Her hair was pointed like spikes, a fashionable scarf around her neck.
"Take hands." she announced closing her eyes. We did as she suggested.
"I see you are celebrating a special occasion." She spoke almost in a hum.
"Yes!" Jessica shouted in excitement.
I snorted and the small woman snapped open one blue eye giving me a death glare before lowering it again.
She continued telling us things that, in my opinion, were vague but Jessica was just enthralled. Finally the dark haired woman said her sight had ended, collecting her money.
We were just about to leave when the woman beckoned me over.
"You are not a believer," She smirked. "But you will be."
"And why is that?" I challenged.
"The predictions I am about to give you will come to pass within 24 hours."She said assured.
"I really don't think…?" I started but she stopped me.
"You will first be trampled by a pack of wild elephants." She spoke in a superior tone. I rolled my eyes, I couldn't help myself. The lady stared at me.
"Do not doubt my ability." She warned. "It is not in your best interest."
I shook my head and remained quiet even though I knew this woman was one crayon short of full box.
"Next you will be greeted with an unexpected decision, only to find your choice split." Was she serious? She was starting to get on my nerves.
"And finally," she said looking deep within my eyes.
"Two ghosts will return to haunt you. One a reflection of your past, the other of a future unfulfilled."
She let go of my hand, and smiled. "When your sun and world collide, it will be time come to see me again."
"Yeah, ok I'll do that." I said sarcastically.
-
The next morning, my alarm didn't go off and as usual I was running behind. I caught the bus to the publishing house I worked at in the middle of the city. It took the bus forever with construction everywhere to get where I needed. The minute I got into the office. Lauren, my secretary already had my coffee waiting for me at my desk.
"Hey, how did it go with the psychic?" She asked laughing.
"You mean the psycho, don't you?" I shared in amusement.
"Well Jessica is just beside herself. She has talked about nothing else, what did she tell you?" Lauren pried.
I grinned. "She said I'd be trampled by elephants, have a difficult time making a decision and be met by two ghosts." I laughed taking a sip from the steaming cup.
Lauren almost fell off the desk in hysterics. "That sounds like she's the one who had been celebrating before you got there, did she say if those elephants were pink?" She couldn't catch her breath.
"I know," I laughed. "So anyway what do we have on the agenda today besides elephants and ghosts?" I teased.
"Um, not much, I think Mr. Crowley has you set to do a speech at a local business at eleven."
I sighed that was one thing I hated about my job. Reading books and editing them was the highlight, doing all the Public Relations was the low. If it was a larger company we probably would have an entire division to deal with these matters, but that wasn't the case.
Crowley publishing was dedicated to helping unknown authors prepare their incomplete manuscripts for publishing. It is the middleman for the bigger firms. We receive the work from the author and edit it so that when the big named companies decide to publish their books there is little if no work left to do.
We had enough business to keep us busy but we were always looking for ways to get our names out and we did just about anything if someone asked, but if it meant gaining a few clients it was worth it.
"Anything else?" I groaned, so far this was not turning out to be a very good day. "You have a lunch appointment with Ben, a quick meeting with Mr. Newton about his new book and than your free for the rest of the day." She smiled.
"Great thanks, Lauren." I said checking my watch. It was eight thirty so I had plenty of time to catch up on the office gossip and a game of solitaire before I started on the next chapter of the horrific book I was trying to edit.
Thankfully eleven o'clock came quickly. I got the address of the business from Jessica and took my time getting to the small brick building that matched the address on file. I looked at it twice, surely this was wrong. I had been expecting a business but this address was some type of private academy.
I walked grudgingly to the office praying there had been some type of mistake. The woman at the office was nice, a grandmotherly type with short gray hair and glasses. There had not been a mistake; Ms. Hale's preschool class was expecting me.
I slowly made my way down the colorful painted concrete halls and found the small classroom labeled on the outside. Ms. Hale, a young pretty blonde woman, carefully opened the door.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"I'm Bella Swan, I'm from Crowley Publishing, and I'm supposed to make a speech?" I asked praying she wouldn't know what I was talking about.
"Oh, of course, come in. Mr. Crowley's niece is in my class. He said he would send someone over for story time today." She smiled. I wish I could.
I walked into a miniature version of a classroom. Everything was labeled with little signs above it. The walls were painted with small murals, and bulletin boards were decorated with macaroni art.
She quickly walked over to the bookshelf and pulled out the Dr. Seuss classic Horton Hears a Who.
"Ok class its circle time," Ms. Hale announced clapping her hands. "Ms. Swan, will be reading your story today."
Twelve children ran excitedly toward a round carpet in the middle of the floor, knocking me in opposite directions, all wearing foam and construction paper elephant masks."
"Careful now," Ms. Hale yelled. "We don't want to trample anyone." She smiled.
"NO!" Lauren squealed into the phone when I told her about the nightmare I had just lived through.
"It was like something out of the Twilight Zone, I swear." I said seriously, "I have never been so glad to get out of anywhere in my life, I thought I was going to have a heart attack."
"I can't believe she really predicted right?" Lauren stated excitedly.
"I don't know but I don't think I could handle it if any of the other things came true." I laughed. "I mean what are the chances of anything else happening like that?"
"Keep me posted, what was the next thing again?" she asked.
"An unexpected decision and my answer split, but that happens to me almost every day. I have problems choosing a donut for breakfast." I giggled. "Hey listen I'm here I'll call you back later ok."
"OK" she laughed. "And Bella, keep your eyes open." She teased.
I slid my phone shut as I rounded the corner to the little café where Ben Cheney waited for me bouncing in his seat. Ben was my best friend Angela's boyfriend. They had been together for as long as I could remember. As I met him he quickly jumped up to greet me.
"Hey Bella," he said nervously giving me a quick hug. "Thanks for meeting me." He said wiping his hands on his pants.
"What's going on Ben, why are you so nervous?" I laughed sitting my purse and then myself down at the table.
"Well, Um, well," he took a deep breath. "I'm going to ask Angie to marry me." He let it out all in one long word.
"Ben that's wonderful!" I shouted, jumping up to hug him. I knew Angela would be thrilled.
"I need your help Bella." He begged. "Would you care if we skipped lunch and went shopping, I need a ring and I'm afraid I'll get something she won't love and I know you guys are so close, would you help me pick it out?" He pleaded.
"Of course Ben, I'd love to help, but of course you can't tell her, ok." I winked.
He let out a huge sigh of relief. "Thanks Bella, you're a lifesaver." He grinned. "I don't think I can make the decision about the ring without you."
"So you really think this is the one?" Ben asked as we looked at the one hundred and fifth ring.
"Ben she'll love it, this is my favorite of all the rings we've seen." It was a platinum band with one large diamond on top and two large baguettes at the sides. It would be perfect for Angela; I could almost see her eyes sparkling when she saw it.
"Will you try it on for me?" he asked. "You and Ang are about the same size. I kind of want to see what it would look like." He begged.
"Oh Ben, I don't know, wouldn't you rather see it on Angie first?" I shook my head.
"Just for a second, just to see if I would need to have it resized." He defended.
"Alright," I melted. "But if Angie finds out I got to wear her ring before she did, she's not going to be very happy." I teased. I easy slipped the ring on and Ben sighed.
"It looks perfect." He smiled. "It's definitely the one, what size is your ring finger?" he asked.
"A five, now let's get this thing off of me, before I change my mind about giving it back." I only half kidded. The ring was beautiful and amazing; I wished I could keep it.
I started to slip the ring off but couldn't. I twisted and pulled but it wouldn't move past my knuckle.
"Ben," I hissed. "We have a problem." I whispered. The sales associate began eyeing us.
"What?" he whispered back.
"It's stuck." I cried.
"No, it can't be." He said grabbing my hand and pulling but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get it to budge either. My finger was starting to hurt.
"Excuse me," said a haughty voice of an unfriendly looking salesman. "Is there a problem?" he asked.
"NO, well Yes, I mean No…Ugh I can't get the ring off." I said in embarrassment holding out my hand, placing my head in the palm of the other hand on the counter.
"Oh dear," the associate sighed. "Well let me see what we can do." He took my hand almost ripping my finger off. I yelped in pain.
"Well, it is most definitely stuck." The snobby man said. I wanted smack the back of his head for making such an unnecessary comment. "I will call Demetri."
Turns out Demetri took one look at my finger which was starting to turn purple and realized that the ring needed to be cut off.
"So will the ring be ok?" Ben was a super sympathetic guy. He panicked at the thought of Angela's ring being destroyed, but my finger wasn't an issue.
"It will be fine." Demetri assured as he took a small pair of what looked like pliers from his bag of tools. "We'll just put it in here like this," he placed the edges in between my finger and the band and squeezed. "And cut the band in two. It will just split apart and the setting can be recast." He smiled.
I groaned. "Wait, are you telling me that you just split this ring?" I cried.
"Yes why?" he said releasing my finger from its cage.
"No reason." I closed my eyes and sighed. The words "Only to find your choice split" still echoing in my ears.
"Not a word." I threatened Lauren as I stormed back to my office. I had called to explain to her why I was going to have to postpone my meeting with Mr. Newton. When I got there a package was laying on the floor by my desk.
"What is this?" I asked in confusion, I wasn't expecting anything today.
"I don't know the delivery man just dropped it off." She shrugged.
I laid my purse down beside the package and picked up the brown wrapped box. I took it to my desk and sat in the chair, hands shaking after the day I had I was really expecting some type of ghosts to fly out of the box.
I took out my scissors and gently opened it up. Inside was a note.
Bells miss you like crazy. The bands in town for the night at the Roadhouse come hear us play and afterwards we'll catch up - Jake
PS-thought you might like to have this.
Jake was my former best friend. He and his band The Shape Shifters played across the country. I was their biggest groupie the summer before college. I went everywhere with them, Jake and I hung out all the time but he eventually started wanting more. We ended it on semi-friendly terms and I went off to Dartmouth while he continued to travel around playing in bars and clubs. We hadn't spoken in a long time.
I opened the box to find a silver oval frame with a picture of Jake and me at one of his gigs. A picture; a reflection of my past.
I started to hyperventilate. Lauren stood at the door looking worried.
"Bella are you ok, you look like you've seen a …"
"DON'T SAY IT!" I pointed at her and jumped up from my chair; clinging to the picture. In my panicked state I didn't see the purse still lying in the floor and tripped over it hitting my head against the metal filing cabinet in my office.
"Ouch" I cried, placing my hand to my head, it became instantly red.
"Oh my God, Bella, you're bleeding, we need to get you to the hospital. I think you're going to need stitches."
I tried to convince Lauren that I really didn't need to go to the emergency room but she didn't listen. We ended up waiting for almost two hours in the clinic. I sat on the examining table biding my time for a chance to be seen.
"I just can't believe that all this is happening." Lauren said sitting beside me.
"You and me both," I griped. "I mean I'm starting to freak out here! Everything that annoying psychic said has happened." I whined, trying to keep the gauze on my head.
"I know the picture thing was creepy." She smiled. "I wonder where you'll meet your next ghost." She said filing her nails; "The unfulfilled future" she said in a spooky tone, waving her hands.
"Crap, Crap, Crap" I started to yell as the reality of her words hit me. "Where's my purse Lauren, we have to get out of here." I shouted.
"What why?" she started laughing. "Is your next ghost a doctor or something?" She laughed.
I bit my lip and gave her a small shrug.
"Oh, are you freaking kidding me?" She almost screamed.
"NO! Now can we please go?" I begged.
"Not until I hear this story." she said pointing her nail file at me and crossed her legs.
"OH FINE!" I hissed. "But you're getting the abridged version." I complained.
"Any version is fine with me." She teased, leaning forward for the gossip.
"Ugh, I was in college. I met this amazing, hot as hell medical student named Edward Cullen, we fell hard and he asked me to marry him. I agreed. We were engaged all of three months when he got the news he had been accept for residency at Duke University. I still had a year left at Dartmouth. He was going to give it up his spot so that we could stay together. I broke off the engagement, told him I didn't love him so he'd go."
"And now you think this guy is the ghost of unfulfilled future." She said a little doubtful.
"Hello, have you heard about my day so far?" I locked eyes with her.
"Ok, your right, I'll humor you; let's go." She said grabbing our stuff.
Just as I was about to jump down off the table. The curtain sprang open and there he stood in all his bronze haired glory. "Hello I' m Dr. Cullen, How can I help you today?"
"Holy Schiff" Lauren muffled as my hand clamped over her mouth. Her eyes almost bugged completely from her face as she ogled him. I slowly released my hand.
"Hello Edward." I smiled, my eyes looking into his glorious green ones. They were still as full of life as always, just a little darker now.
"Bella." he seemed unpleasantly surprised. "What brings you here?" he said a little stiffly; he coughed uncomfortably flipping through some paper in awkward silence.
"She hit her head." Lauren volunteered sounding a little like a love sick teenager.
"Is that so?" he chuckled darkly. "That sounds like you, you always were a bit of a klutz. Let's see what you did this time."
"It's nothing; I shouldn't even be wasting your time." I lied trying to get away.
"SIT" he said pointing to the table. His eyes giving me a warning glare.
I climbed back up on the table. He removed the gauze.
"That must have hurt." His voice softened as he gingerly touched my head. The feeling of his fingers sent electricity sparking through my body. I closed my eyes and focused on trying to breathe.
"A little, so what brings you to Boston?" I asked curiously.
"I'm only here for the day, my dad is head of the department here, he wanted me to come down for interview but they were so short staffed. I offered to help." He shined a bright light in my eyes lifting my eyelids. He was so close I licked my lips.
"How was Duke?" I asked trying to the conversation moving so my lips didn't get a mind of their own.
"I wouldn't know I gave up the spot." He shut off the light, writing on the paper.
"What! But that's why I..." I didn't finish but it was too late.
"Why you what?" his head snapped up and stared at me, his green eyes boring holes in me.
"You know," Lauren laughed uncomfortably, "I think I need some coffee." She hurried out of the station. Some friend she is bailing on me at the first sign of attack.
"Why you what?" he repeated again, more harshly this time.
I sighed. He might as well know the truth.
"The reason I called off the engagement. I wasn't going to let you give up a chance at a spot on one of the top five medical programs in the country for me." I mumbled.
He cursed and pulled the drapes closed. He was so angry he just stood not looking at me but the ground. Each hand grasped an end of the examining table and it looked like he was bending one of the metal pieces. Suddenly he picked it up and started banging it up and down. I was terrified. The look he gave me was deadly.
"All this time," he spoke in a heated tone running his fingers through his hair. "All this time, I thought you didn't love me. That I had imagined everything that happened between us and now you come here and tell me that the reason you broke up with me was over a stupid internship." He barked.
"I just wanted you to be successful; you worked so hard for it. I couldn't stand in your way and then you didn't even go." I cried.
"That's because I ended up going to John Hopkins. I was still waiting from a response from them when you up and left." He yelled.
"You never told me you applied." I frowned.
"That's because I didn't want to get your hopes up. It was a long shot. That's why I kept putting off accepting to Duke. I wanted the chance to see if I could be a little closer to you, but even if it didn't pan out we could have been together. He argued.
"Edward, how long do you think it would have lasted with you in North Carolina and me in New Hampshire?" I said sarcastically. "You continually had girls throwing themselves at you even when we were engaged, you would have found someone else the first week you were in school and we both know it."
He didn't say anything he just stared at me for a long time. Finally, he took a deep breath and started looking through a medical cart. He eventually found what he was looking for, a small suture kit.
"This will hurt for a moment." He said coldly, as prepared the area and stitched up the wound. He focused on what he was doing and remained silent.
"Edward for what it's worth, I'm sorry, I really thought I was doing what was best." I attempted to look at his gorgeous face one last time. He basically ignored me.
"Alright Ms. Swan, here is your care sheet." He handed me a stack of papers. "If you have any problems you can call the health desk." He quickly left the area almost knocking down Lauren.
"I take it that things didn't go over so well with Dr. McSexy?" she questioned raising an eyebrow.
"Shut up Lauren." I grumbled grabbing my things. She hid a small smile and we left the hospital in silence.
The Roadhouse was actually a pretty nice place. It was more than just a bar; the downstairs was a restaurant that served things like burgers and beers. It had booths and a large service area. To my right was a staircase leading to the roof area and found an outside club, a small cloth awning draped over the stage and a dance floor. This would be where Jacob and The Shape Shifters performed. I slid myself into one of the few open seats in the back corner of this area and ordered a drink, watching Jake make love to the guitar with his hands. He knew how to evoke sounds from the instrument unlike anyone I had ever seen. Jacob looked as handsome as ever in his tight black shirt and jeans a single silver chain with a small dream catcher charm around his neck. I got it for him before I left for school and smiled that after all these years he still wore it.
Jake was in the middle of a set when he spotted me and a huge grin slowly highlighted his face. His smile was contagious and I returned it. When he finally finished the song he announced a break which apparently was not planned because the rest of the band looked confused, that is until Jake made a motion my way and the rest of the guys eagerly put down their instruments.
"Bella," Jake grabbed me up so tight I couldn't breathe. "I thought you weren't going to make it." He smiled pulling me into closer to him. He grabbed my cheeks. "Ugh look at you, you're a sight for sore eyes, I've missed you chica." He kissed my forehead. When he saw the band-aid he started laughing again. "Same old Bella." He chuckled.
"Outta the way, Jake Man, you're not the only one that's missed her." A voice I was vaguely familiar with followed. I gave Embry, Quil, Paul, Jared and Sam hugs."
"What's the latest guys?" I was really anxious to hear what I had missed these last years.
"Well not much Quil's still trying to Claire to marry him, Paul is getting a divorce and Sam and Emily just had twins." Jacob smirked.
"Congratulations!" I smiled but I was the only one.
"Thanks Bella, it's nice to know someone is happy for me." He snarled at the rest of the group.
"What's going on?" I asked in my motherly tone.
"Sam here has decided that Emily needs help at home with the new arrivals, says he's can't leave them. He's up and quit as manager." Jacob frowned.
"Well can't you just find someone else?" I asked confused. I totally understood why Jacob and the rest of the band were upset; Sam was like a brother to them. Finding another manager wouldn't be difficult even I had done the job for awhile before they hired Sam. It was hectic but it wasn't impossible.
"Bells, let's talk." Jacob coughed and motioned me toward the steps. He gently placed his hand on my back and led me back downstairs to the restaurant. We occupied a booth toward the stairway.
Jacob stared at me for a long time making me self-conscious. I tugged at my hooped earrings waiting for him to say something.
"Wow, Bella you look great." He gave me his warm smile again. His teeth were so white against his russet skin I thought for sure I would be blinded by the glare. I didn't think I looked great, I was just in a pair of jeans and a normal red halter it was snug but not tight fitting. Jake, however, never took his eyes away from me.
"Jake, are you going to tell me why you pulled me away from the gang?" I asked afraid of the answer.
He started fidgeting with the salt and pepper shakers nervously.
"Jake?" I waited a little impatiently.
"OK Bells, here's the thing," He sighed rushing the next part. "I miss you; I mean I really miss you." He looked at me with his large eyes. "I want you to come on the road with us again, be our new manager."
My eyes grew wide. "Jake I can't come on the road with you I've got a job, an apartment, I'm not qualified." I stuttered.
"Come on Bella, the guys adore you, I've just offered you another position and we have regular gigs so the pay will be pretty good and you've already done the job remember."
"I don't know," I said again hesitantly.
Jacob took my hands. "Listen Bella, I know it's fast but you know how much I care about you. I've never denied it. I could make you happy and you know I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't for certain that this would work out. We just got a call about going in for a real recording deal, this is legit."
I really didn't know what to do. My head was actually considering the possibility. What was really keeping me here anyway? I lived alone and could lease out my apartment, the guys were all my friends and I would have some actual excitement in my life for once but my heart was telling me not too.
"Can I think about it?" I pleaded.
Jake looked uncomfortable now.
"We're leaving in the morning Bells." He frowned. "I need to know before we split; the bus pulls out at nine."
I took a deep breath as he waited nervously for my response. "It's a big decision Jake but I'll let you know in the morning ok?" I smiled.
"But you'll consider it?" he asked hopefully.
"Yes, I will seriously consider it." I promised.
He looked so relieved, we started back to the stairs so Jacob could return to his gig when he unexpectedly pinned me against the wall and kissed me. To say I was shocked was an understatement.
He looked deep into my eyes. "You have no idea how much I've missed you Bella," his rough voice sent chills down my body and I got goose bumps. He kissed me passionately, my eyes closed at the pleasure of it, feeling his hands slide under the bottom edge of my shirt. I heard a loud thump and my eyes flew open. Edward stood before me clinching his fist, while Jacob was on the ground.
"Keep your damn hands off her." A fairly drunken Edward threatened him.
"Edward," I yelled. "What are you doing?"
"He's getting his ass beat!" Jake jumped up and the two started throwing each other across the room.
It took the band, some doctors and a bouncer to break them up; when they did Edward got thrown out of the club. I apologized to Jake and swore that I would let him know something in the morning before checking on Edward to make sure he was ok.
I rushed out of the bar in search of him and saw that he had made it two blocks when I caught up with him. His hair was tussled, his lip busted and still bleeding and one of his beautiful shamrock eyes was already swollen purple. Jake hadn't faired so well either, I think Edward had broken his nose and did some other minor damage.
"So Rocky, where ya headed?" I teased knowing that he was far from the famous boxing character.
"I'm going back to the hotel to pack, my flight leaves tomorrow morning." He said harshly.
"So you aren't staying in Boston?" I asked a little sadly as we continued to walk.
"What do you want, Bella, shouldn't you be in there comforting your boyfriend?" he asked sarcastically.
"Is that why you hit him, because you were jealous?" I frowned. "Jake is a persistent admirer nothing more." I sighed at least not yet I added in my mind.
He stopped outside of his hotel and looked at me as if I'd lost mind. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to him.
"Yes I'm jealous; you are supposed to be with me, not him. I love you Bella, I've never stopped and I want you to realize that you love me too. It doesn't matter if we're separated by a long distance, we can make this work."
It's funny how things run full circle. The problem with Jacob was that my head said yes but my heart said no, with Edward it was opposite my heart was begging me to accept while my head warned me of pending disaster.
"I don't know Edward, long distance relationships are usually the end of a couple not a beginning."
"It will be difficult but I know we can survive the separation." Edward tried to convince me.
"And how are we going to do that?" I challenged.
"We make the most of the time we have together." He grinned wickedly as he pressed his swollen lips to mine. I lost all sense of myself, I couldn't breathe but he only deepened the kiss as I tried to pull away, it wasn't until I moaned that he released me.
"Let's see your rock star kiss you like that." He said panting as our foreheads touched.
"Edward I…" but he placed his fingers over my lips.
"I'm leaving tomorrow." He said calmly. "My plane leaves at nine, if you're interested in giving us another chance meet me airport." He gave me a cocky drunken grin. "I want a chance to kiss you goodbye properly." He tried to wiggle his eyebrows but failed miserably
I blushed and he ran his hand over it. "I've missed you, this, us." He kissed my cheek softly. "Goodnight Bella; remember nine." He smiled as he entered the hotel.
This psychic pixie had been dead on again. My sun and world had collided in the bar tonight and now I was in a position where I needed an answer to the future. I had to choose between Edward and Jacob there would be no middle ground and I had no idea how I was going to do it without a little help. I was going to see Madame Alice so she could get me out of this mess and tell me who I was supposed to meet in the morning.
"What do you mean you can't you tell me?" I begged as I sat across from Madame Alice my hands firmly planted palms down on the table.
"I'm sorry Isabella, but I can't see the future until you make a decision. Who you pick is completely up to you; your future depends entirely upon the path you choose." She explained again.
I groaned and let my head bang against the wooden table. I finally believe in all this crystal ball crap and now when I need her help the most she can't see my future.
"Some psychic" I muttered and a small smile escaped her lips.
"Bella, a decision this important shouldn't be made by someone else anyway, besides I think you truly know your choice." She looked into my eyes.
"I honestly don't!" I cried. "What if I just don't choose anyone?"
"I don't think you need me to tell you that some women don't need a mate and are perfectly content, but you my dear would leave a very lonely life." She frowned.
"Fine, ok, so I have to choose between them, can't you tell me anything at all?" I pleaded.
"I really should not be doing this, but give me your hand." She demanded.
"Thank you!" I exclaimed in sheer relief.
"Do not thank me yet, you haven't heard what I'm about to say." She scolded.
I remained quiet as Madame Alice closed her eyes. A moment later she opened them.
"All I can tell you is that you will be so angry that you will throw fruit against the wall not realizing the mess you have made, and the road you choose will bring you all sorrow. I can't see anything else because of the bright lights." She frowned.
"No, there has to be more!" I jerked back my hands, slamming them against the table.
"I'm sorry Isabella; the future is not always a pleasant one." She rubbed her temples as if she had a headache.
I got up and grabbed my jacket and stormed out without another word.
To say that the night was long would be an understatement. I tossed and turned trying to figure out what I was going to do; both choices had pros and cons and I finally gave up at three that morning. I was hoping that the answer would just magically appear to me in the morning. I had set the alarm on my phone so that I would have enough time to shower, eat, and prepare my answer before I met anyone, or at least that was the plan.
I woke up groggery to find that it was already 8:25 in the morning. I jumped out of bed like a ninja and grabbed my blackberry. The alarm had been mistakenly set for seven in the evening instead of the morning. I threw it against the wall and it shattered. It was only than that I realized that this was fruit that Madam Alice was talking about, and now I had no way to contact either of the guys. I was going to have to make a decision and quickly. I grabbed clothes from the closet not even caring what it was I put on and ran downstairs to grab a cab. Thankfully for once I didn't have to wait long.
"Where to Miss?" the cabbie asked.
"The Airport" I said without hesitation.
"OH COME ON!" I screamed as we sat in construction traffic. I knew we should have taken another route!"
"Look lady, I asked you which way you wanted me to go and you told me to take Chelsea Street, you ain't blamin me for this." He griped.
"Here, I'm late enough." I handed him a twenty and ran.
It was 8:43; I was hoping that maybe Edward hadn't boarded yet. I knew that leaving Jake in a lurch wasn't right but if I didn't act fast I would lose them both. I ran as hard as I could and finally reached the terminal. Security was everywhere and I couldn't get through.
"I'm sorry young lady, the plane is already boarding" the older guard said sincerely. "I would let you through but they don't allow that anymore." He frowned.
I had to let him know I was here, somehow, I knew it was a long shot but I couldn't help it.
"EDWARD" I screamed toward the gates praying he would hear me. "EDWARDDDD!"
The guard had me by the shoulders but I continued screaming. I had to get his attention before it was too late.
"The gates just closed Miss." The older guard said sadly. "There's nothing else you can do."
I tried one more time. "EDWARD" I yelled at the top of my voice quickly becoming hoarse from my previous attempts; the tears running down my face. I had failed it was now 9:13. Jake was probably gone, Edward's plane was on the runway and I was alone. I had screwed up everyone's happiness.
Two weeks later I was sitting at my desk moping. I hadn't heard from Edward or Jacob and I didn't have the heart to call anyway. Lauren came in and sat on my desk, she had been worried about my attitude lately. I had told her the basics of what happened but not the entire story.
"What are you still doing here; you should have gone home an hour ago." She pushed.
"I'm working on it." I grumbled as I continued playing solitaire. The truth was I didn't really want to go back home to an empty apartment.
"You know you could come clubbing with me and Tyler." She offered as if reading my mind.
I sighed. This would be my life, always the third wheel. "No thanks, I'd rather just go home and soak in a hot tub." I plastered a smile on my face.
"Don't worry Bella, it will all work out." She smiled softly. "I can see it in your future." She patted my hand before disappearing down the hall.
"Sure it will Lauren." I sighed as I turned off the computer. I picked up a few manuscripts and my purse flipping out the light before I exited the office.
The walk was long, night had fallen and the sky was a light shade of gray. I climbed the stairs to my apartment and went to unlock the door. As I was shuffling around the books and purse; my keys dropped to the ground. I cursed and went to pick them up when I noticed a red rose petal in front of my door on the dingy carpet.
I picked it up and looked to my right, there were rose petals all the way down the hall, I quickly unlocked the door and shoved my purse and the papers on my table and went back to investigate. I followed the petals all the way the roof access door. I opened it slowly to find more petals streaming up the steps. I continued cautiously toward the top of the staircase, my eyes growing wide as I they took in the amazing transformation.
The normally ugly rooftop was decorated with a canopy and a few hundred brightly lit twinkling lights, shining as if they were stars in the sky. A small table held champagne and candles but more importantly there stood Edward with a bouquet of roses in his hand.
Tears streamed from my eyes. I couldn't stop them. Edward rushed to my side and wrapped me in his arms.
"Don't cry Bella," He smiled wiping the tears away.
"How did you…?" I croaked.
He laughed. "I was almost the last to board the plane. I didn't think you were coming so I went ahead. We sat there for awhile waiting for another passenger coming from a late connection flight. When the guy finally boarded, he was talking about some crazy woman yelling the name Edward at the gates. I tried to get them to let me off the plane but they refused and since I couldn't afford to be arrested by homeland security I decided to play nice." He shrugged his shoulders.
"How did you know where to find me?" I asked suspiciously.
"I've got a ways," he smirked wiggling his eyebrows but when I raised mine he let it slip.
"I had one of the nurses pull your information from the file at the hospital. When I called your work, your secretary Lauren told me she would call me when you left." He smiled.
"If you knew than why did you wait so long to contact me?" I laid my head on his chest breathing in his amazing scent. It smelled like hospital soap and old spice.
"I was in the process of moving. When I was on the plane I got to thinking about what you said and you're right a long distance relationship isn't what I really want. I accepted the position at Mass General." He grinned.
"OH EDWARD!" I threw my arms around him. "I don't think I'd ever been so happy in my entire life." I kissed him passionately and he smiled.
"Now see this is the kind of going away kiss I was expecting at the airport." He teased.
We stayed in our embrace for a little longer, just enjoying each other's company before sitting down to dinner. Edward poured me a glass of champagne.
"What shall we toast too?" I asked.
I couldn't help giggling as the words slipped from his lips.
"To the future" he smiled.
I grinned back. "Our future" I corrected him.
We clinked the glasses together softly and as I looked out over the city I realized that I didn't need Madame Alice's ability to see what tomorrow holds. It would be one of complete happiness, love, and passion. I knew deep down we were meant for each other; after all who doesn't believe in fate?